WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1527/97 by Hiltrud BREYER to the Council. Safety guarantees for genetically modified products
Date: 1997-05-05
Institutions: BREYER, European Parliament
Subjects: biotechnology, environmental impact, genetically modified organism, health control, import policy, marketing restriction, product safety, protocol to an agreement, public health, soya bean













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91997E1527

WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1527/97 by Hiltrud BREYER to the Council. Safety guarantees for genetically modified products  


Official Journal C 021 , 22/01/1998 P. 0064 





WRITTEN QUESTION E-1527/97 by Hiltrud Breyer (V) to the Council (5 May 1997)Subject: Safety guarantees for genetically modified productsAs its reply to my Written Question No E-2835/96 ((OJ C 138, 5.5.1997, p. 14.)) was unsatisfactory, I call on the Council, with reference to Directive 90/220/EEC ((OJ L 117, 8.5.1990, p. 15.)) and as the marketing of genetically modified products (e.g. soya, rapeseed and chicory) has been permitted subject to certain special conditions, to give specific answers to the following questions:1. How can the Council guarantee that imported soya is not used for cultivation or breeding in the EU in contravention of the terms of the marketing authorization?2. How are the other restrictions to be controlled and by whom?3. If control is to be exercised by the Member States, how will it be carried out, and who will ensure compliance with the monitoring rules?4. Will there be reports on compliance with the rules?5. If so, will they be published?6. If there is no national or European control system, for what measures has the Council provided?7. Will the Council support a moratorium on the release of such products on to the market until adequate guarantees of compliance with the rules have been introduced?8. How can the Council's position on permitting the import of genetically modified products without health checks or environmental impact assessment in the country of origin be reconciled with its negotiating position on the contents of the proposed protocol on biological safety?Answer (6 August 1997)In addition to the reply to Question No 2835/96, it should be pointed out that:- as regards questions 1 to 6 and as the Honourable Member is aware, it is for the Commission to check that Community legislation is implemented;- to date the Council has not received any proposal to introduce a moratorium on releasing genetically modified organisms (GMO) onto the market;- as the Community is a party to the Convention on Biological Diversity, the Council evidently supports Decision 11/5 of the Conference of the Parties whereby the negotiations with a view to a Protocol on biosafety were started and which stipulates that this Protocol, which focuses specifically on transboundary movements of GMOs resulting from modern biotechnology that may have adverse effects on the preservation and use of biological diversity, must contribute towards ensuring an adequate level of protection in the field of biosafety. Directive 90/220 provides that Member States must take appropriate measures to avoid adverse effects on the environment or on human health which might result from releasing GMOs onto the market and is thus aimed at attaining the same objective as the Protocol.